158 LaCitadeSancta
On 22 March 1291 , when his hometown of Parma welcomed back Ge-
rardo Bianchi, now cardinal bishop of Santa Sabina, they modeled the pro-
cession on that for a new podesta.^101 The Popolo of the city marshaled under
the banners of the neighborhoods. Followed by the Arti and the religious
houses, they met him at the gate. They placed him, like a new podesta, on a
horse to enter the city. As in a rogation procession, Cardinal Gerardo came
last, in the place of honor, riding under a scarlet canopy. All marched to the
episcopal palace, where he was to lodge. Cardinal Gerardo was a good guest.
During the days that followed he presented great gifts (magna dona) to the
podesta, Ungaro degli Oddi of Perugia, and to the captain of the people,
Lapo degli Ughi of Pistoia, as well as made offerings to the religious houses
of the city. When he left, a similar procession escorted him to the gates. Only
with the end of communal independence did government processions revert
to spectator events, in which the prince rode in pomp and his subjects
watched from the sidelines.^102
Processions imploring divine help during adversity were even more an
expression of civic unity and identity than those to welcome dignitaries.
These processions took their form from the rogations rather than royal en-
tries. As with the original rogations, natural disasters, especially drought,
demanded such observances. At Parma, at the beginning of May in 1303 ,
during the height of a dry spell, the city organized processions throughout
the city. They chanted the litanies and carried the relics of the saints. The
observance had effect, and a torrential downpour arrived on the feast of
Saint John before the Latin Gate ( 6 May), sparking universal rejoicing.^103
Such observances usually included a vow to commemorate any help re-
ceived, often by repeating the procession annually in perpetuity, or at least,
as at Parma, by recording it in city chronicles.^104 Perhaps because war threat-
ened the very independence of the commune, it was the calamity most likely
to spark processions. War and defeat resulted from sin. When the twelfth-
century city of Gubbio underwent a terrible siege, its bishop, Saint Ubaldo,
organized processions to ask for forgiveness. According to their ranks and
orders, the clergy, laymen, and laywomen went barefoot chanting the lita-
nies. Mass and Communion were celebrated. Bishop Ubaldo fortified the
city with a special episcopal blessing. The citizenry was the image of the
people of Israel in the desert. Their leader, like Moses, extended his hand of
blessing over them. Ubaldo stood on the city walls, invoked the God of
Battles, and prayed for liberation from the new Egyptians and Philistines. At
101 .Chronicon Parmense, 60 – 61.
102. As can be seen at Bologna inCCB:A, Vill. ( 5 February 1327 ), 276 – 79 , which describes the
reception of the papal governor Cardinal Bertrando Del Pogetto.
103 .Chronicon Parmense( 1303 ), 84.
104. A practice that outlived the Middle Ages: Christian,Local Religion, 185.